There is known an electronic apparatus such as a personal computer, which includes a touch panel as an input device. Also known is an electronic apparatus including a touch screen display in which a display is integrated with a touch panel. As regards the electronic apparatus with the touch screen display, a system has been developed which displays a virtual keyboard (software keyboard) on which a plurality of keys are arranged, and inputs data corresponding to a touch operation on the software keyboard.
In the conventional electronic apparatus with the software keyboard, it is assumed that a single touch (click) is performed on the touch screen display. Thus, in the case of inputting by using both a modifier key (e.g. Shift key), which can instruct a specific function in combination with some other key, and this other key (i.e. an input by “combination key”), the modifier key is first touched and then the modifier key is locked in a pressed state (“key lock”), and in this state the other key is touched.
In recent years, an electronic apparatus including a multi-point touch screen, which can detect a plurality of touch positions, has been used. In this electronic apparatus, for example, a touch on a first key, which is a modifier key, and a touch on a second key, such as a symbol key, are detected at the same time, and a signal corresponding to the detected keys is generated.
In this manner, in the electronic apparatus including the touch screen display which can perform multi-touch, touches on plural keys can detected at the same time.
However, in some cases, it is easier to perform an operation by successively touching a modifier key and another key, than to perform an operation by simultaneously touching a plurality of keys. For example, there is such a case that the electronic apparatus is held by one hand and a touch operation is performed by the other hand, or the electronic apparatus is held by one hand and a touch operation is performed by the thumb alone. In such a case, the operability is higher if the touch on the modifier key is locked in a pressed state (“key lock”) and in this state some other key is touched.
As described above, in the case of performing a modifier-key-combined input by a combination of a modifier key and some other key, there has been a demand for realization of easy selective use of either the simultaneous touch on the modifier key and the other key, or the key lock by the touch on the modifier key.